The seven chambers of Aba and Ima of Briyah
All prayers must travel within a specific spiritual network in order to reach their intended destination. The Zohar outlines this metaphysical structure so that we may access this realm simply by learning this section. The descriptions and explanations that follow provide the reader with an opportunity to access the spiritual network in such a way that prayers will be answered.
The Chambers of Aba [Father] and Ima [Mother] pertain to the principles of male and female energy that are built into the fabric of our physical universe. The proton and electron (the minus and plus charges in electricity), as well in the opposite poles represented by man and woman, are branches extending out from this singular spiritual seed.
60. Come and behold, Rabbi Shimon said: Who knows how to arrange a prayer to his Master, as did Moses, who knew how to lengthen and shorten his prayer as necessary. Rabbi Shimon said: I found written in ancient books the order of connecting THE GRADES - the inner secrets - into one unit, SO THAT THEY, UNITED, WILL PROJECT LIGHT TO THE LOWER WORLDS. Sometimes it is required to arrange a prayer so as to entice and soothe the Master to make the proper unifications, penetrate firmaments, and open gates and passages. One must arrange his prayers so that no one will stop him, NAMELY, THAT THE PROSECUTORS WILL NOT DISTURB HIM.
60. תָּא חֲזֵי אָמַר רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מַאן הוּא דְּיָדַע לְסַדְרָא צְלוֹתָא דְמָרֵיהּ כְּמֹשֶׁה, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ, לְסַדְּרָא צְלוֹתֵיהּ בַּאֲרִיכוּת סָדַר, וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְקַצְרָא הָכֵי נָמֵי. אָמַר רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי, סִדּוּרָא דְרָזֵי דְרָזִין, בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חָדָא, זִמְנִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְסַדְּרָא צְלוֹתֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוּת, וּלְקָשְׁרָא קִשְׁרִין, לִבְסוּמֵי לְמָארֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וּלְמִנְדַע לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, לְמִקְרַע רְקִיעִין, וּלְאַפְתָּחָא תַּרְעִין וּפִתְחִין דְּלָא יְהֵא מָאן דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ.
61. Blessed are the righteous who know how to appease their Master, cancel decrees, and cause the Shechinah to rest upon the world. They know how to draw down blessings and prevent the administrators of judgment from prevailing in the world. Rabbi Shimon rose and said: "Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem?" (Tehilim 106:2). Who can remove the dust from your eyes, pious Abraham, the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He? He revealed to you the ultimate of secrets and the beginning of prayer in the world (AS ABRAHAM INSTITUTED THE MORNING PRAYER), AS WELL AS the chambers of the supernal King.
61. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא, דְּאִנוּן יָדְעֵי לְמִפְתֵּי לְמָארֵיהוֹן, וּלְבִטּוּלֵי גְּזִרִין, וּלְאַשְׁרָאָה שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא, וּלְנַחֲתָא בִּרְכָאן, וּלְמֶעֱדֵי מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בְּעָלְמָא. קָם רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַאֲמַר, מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה' וגו', מָאן יְגַלֵּי עַפְרָא מֵעֵינָךְ אַבְרָהָם חֲסִידָא, יָמִינָא דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּגָלֵי לָךְ רָזָא דְּרָזִין, וְשָׁרִיאַת צְלוֹתִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִתְגַּלְיָין לָךְ הֵיכָלֵי דְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה.
62. There are seven holy chambers and they have well guarded gates, MEANING THAT ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS OF JUDGMENT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THEM AND THEY OPEN ONLY TO THOSE WORTHY OF ENTERING. And into each and every CHAMBER the prayers of unity enter. For of he who knows how to appease his Master, make complete unification, make his way into those chambers, and connect THE CHAMBERS among themselves - spirit with spirit, LOWER SPIRIT WITH A HIGHER SPIRIT - it is said, "Hashem, in trouble have they visited You, they poured out a prayer when the chastening was upon them" (Yeshayah 26:16).
62. שִׁבְעָה הֵיכָלִין קַדִּישִׁין אִינוּן, וְאִינּוּן קַיָּימִין בְּתַרְעִין בְּקִיּוּמָא, וּבְכָל חַד וְחַד עָאל צְלוֹתָא דְּיִחוּדָא, דְּמָאן דְּיָדַע לִבְסוּמֵי לְמָארֵיהּ, וּלְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ, דְּיָדַע לְאָעֳלָא בְּכָלְהוֹ, וּלְקָשְׁרָא קִשְׁרִין אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא, רוּחָא תַּתָּאָה בְּרוּחָא עִלָּאָה, כְּתִיב ה' בַּצַר פְּקָדוּךָ צָקוּן לַחַשׁ מוּסָרְךָ לָמוֹ.